Council Highlights - September 10, 2018

Council Highlights
Regular Council Meeting – September 10, 2018

Adoption of the Minutes 

• Regular Council Meeting – August 13, 2018

First reading of by-laws to be enacted at the Special Council Meeting on Oct. 22, 2018

• Municipal Plan By-Law 300-33
• Zoning By-Law 300-7
• Portable Sign By-Law 700-06

Second/Third and final reading of by-laws enacted by Council

• None presented

Monthly Grant Report

• None presented

Policies

• None presented

Tenders and Requests for Proposals (RFP)

• Council awarded the RFP for fundraising consulting services to BNP Philanthropic Performance for the Wellness Centre project for the sum of $270,480 in a contract that spans 30 months.
• Tender 18-24 to Stryker Canada LP in the amount of $30,008.96 + HST for the replacement of two monitor/defibrillator devices.

Other Business

Council made a resolution to set the date for a public hearing to consider any objections to the re-adoption of the Municipal Plan By-Law 300-33 and re-adoption of the Zoning By-Law 300-7 at 6:30 p.m. on October 22, 2018 in Council Chambers.

Council received from the Director of Finance an interim internal financial summary for the YTD July 31, 2018. The Town is in a surplus position at July 31 of approximately $118,000 in the General Operating Fund and $176,000 in the Utility Fund. Current projections indicate that the Town will be able to stay within budget for the 2018 fiscal year.

Council reappointed AC Stevenson & Partners to audit the Town’s financial statements for the year ending in 2018.

Council approved the Director of Engineering’s list of projects for the Government of New Brunswick’s Municipal Designated Highway 5-Year Program as recommended to proceed only if funding is available.

Council accepted the recommendation from the Light Up Riverview committee to increase the 2018 budget for this year’s campaign for the installation of lights on new trees along the Riverfront from the small pergola to the covered bridge and on significant trees missing lights between the Fundy Chocolate River Station and the pergola at an approximate cost of $45,000.

Council approved the purchase price of $350,000+ HST for 379 Coverdale Road from Imperial Oil. This property formerly owned by Imperial Oil is the parking lot for the Fundy Chocolate River Station.

Council authorized a partial closure of the westbound lane from the parking lot west of the Gunningsville Bridge to the entrance of the Atlantic Superstore on Sunday, October 21 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for Legs for Literacy.

Council received following a request from Mayor Seamans a total of five responses from local candidates running in the provincial election in the ridings of Riverview and Albert.
 

1. Bridgedale Boulevard - A future road project.

The Town of Riverview's proposed concept for Bridgedale Boulevard has economic benefits for not only Riverview but great regional benefits for the tourism industry along the Fundy Trail and improved regional road safety. This four-kilometre urban arterial would connect Gunningsville Boulevard to Hillsborough Road near the Town's boundary. We have applied for Federal and Provincial funding in the past to do phase one of this project, and while representatives have indicated they would look into the status of our funding application, we have never received any follow up. Tell us how you think this project will benefit our community and how will you support its success.

2. Lion Ken Gabbey Community Pool - Upgrade of Building and Outdoor Pool Infrastructure. The Lion Ken Gabbey Community Pool is considered a community asset, and Town Council is planning on investing funds in this project in 2019. Since the Government of New Brunswick has supported the investment in an outdoor pool in Moncton in 2018 are you prepared to advocate that Riverview should receive similar funding for this project?
    
3. Future Wellness Centre. The Town continues to explore the concept of a Wellness Centre that would include a new indoor pool facility, a fieldhouse/gym, and in the future an additional ice surface for our community. The Town is about to invest in a fundraising initiative stewarded by community leaders that will start before the end of 2018. This project is included in the Town's ten-year capital plan and while it is a future project we know that it will need Federal and Provincial government funding support after the fundraising campaign is successful. Can the Town count on your support to move this community project forward during the next four years? And how do you plan to support this community initiative?
    
4. Council would also be interested in understanding your position on a couple of other items that are not specific to the Town's strategic plan. Those items include:
    
   1. The Province is planning on closing access via the causeway/Petitcodiac Bridge link to Riverview for up to 6 months in 2020. This has obviously been a significant concern to all Riverview residents. While the Town (with Provincial funding support) is attempting to improve the intersection at the Gunningsville Bridge in 2018 to alleviate some of the challenges, we are all well aware that a permanent blockage of the causeway route is a significant concern, one which cannot be completely eliminated by what we are doing today. The Town has advocated to the Minister, Government members and DTI staff for a better solution and the message back to us each time is there is no solution to avoid this blockage. Riverview residents and businesses will be significantly and negatively impacted. The Town will want to see the Province play a leadership role in determining solutions to help residents and businesses manage through this time period. What are you prepared to do for the residents and businesses in Riverview to help address their concerns?
       
   2. With regards to provincial responsibilities such as health care and education, what is your vision for those services in Riverview over the next four years? As an example, the new Riverview East School already exceeds capacity. What do you see as the future plans for educational facilities in Riverview? And with regards to health care, if the Province moves further toward a primary health care model of delivery, where do you see Riverview's future related to the growth of primary care facilities? Today, Riverview residents travel to Moncton for the majority of health care needs, and in a primary health care model, service options should be contemplated in Riverview. What is your position on this matter?

The questions were sent in a letter to the following candidates by email on August 31, 2018:

Riverview riding:

• Stephanie Coburn (Green Party)
• Heather Collins (People’s Alliance)
• Madison Duffy (NDP)
• R. Bruce Fitch (PC)
• Brent Mazerolle (Liberal)

Albert riding:

• Catherine Black (Liberal)
• Sharon Buchanan (People’s Alliance)
• Mike Holland (PC)
• Moranda van Geest (Green)
• Betty Weir (NDP)

The candidates’ responses can be viewed in the September 10, 2018 meeting agenda under “Correspondence.”

Next Meeting 

The next Council meeting will take place on Monday, September 24, 2018 at 7 p.m.

The agenda will be available at www.townofriverview.ca on Thursday prior to the meeting. For more information contact clerk@townofriverview.ca; 506-387-2136.

Council Highlights provide a snapshot of public meetings to help residents, businesses and stakeholders understand the decisions that affect their community. For the official record of Council Meetings, please refer to the adopted minutes, which are posted for each meeting once approved at the next Regular Council Meeting. 

Consult this meeting's agenda to view files mentioned in the Council Highlights.